Both of these LiS books by Kevin Emerson have a time-travel aspect to them and read almost like outtakes from the episodes, as if the producers of the Netflix show didn't want to go down the time-travel rabbit hole but Emerson was more than willing to oblige.
In the first one, Will, Robot and his sister Penny stumble upon some strange canisters in a cave and a space travel portal that can take them when and where ever they can picture -- even, before they left Earth.
They think they may've found a way to get out of their current predicament. Robot warns them, "Danger," but no one's listening. Unfortunately, Penny reaches through the portal and heads… back to middle / high school, to a time when she can get stuff -- like candy from the corner convenience store -- that she hasn't had in forever.
Right?
But then her actions, stealing an armful of candy and bringing it back to school and getting caught on surveillance cameras, sets events in motion that wipe her presence from the Robinsons' mission, splitting the family up forever and sending the successes the Robinsons have experienced so far into oblivion.
It's up to Will to figure out the time travel solution to the mess Penny's made of things. Add to that a few aliens upset that the Earth kids are using their technology in a way it wasn't designed, much less intended, and the Robinsons need all the help they can get from Robot to get out of this mess.
I think this takes place during Episode 4, season 1, when the Robinsons and Robot tag the cave as a "family."
We loved the Netflix series and enjoyed these books as continuations of our favorite space opera family's adventures!
This LiS time-travel yarn takes place while the Robinsons are stranded on the water planet (during season 2 in the Netflix series). Will manages to not focus on scratching an odd patch of fungus or something growing on his neck and suits up to go beach combing. A high tide reveals a new sand berm and when Will explores it, a girl appears!
Thirteen-year-old Clare is traveling via hologram / avatar through an anomaly in the space-time continuum as her family flees the explosion of a star in their spaceship. She's actually alive a thousand years before the Robinsons' mission and Earth's surface is polluted to the point of no-return.
Will's lonely for a friend, which Clare seems to be, and there's no harm in being friends with someone who's been long-dead, is there? And she and her spaceship's AI, Alina, need Will's help to save her "family."
Except…all is not as Will thinks it is.
Penny's there to watch her lil' bro's back, even though he doesn't ask nor want her to, so when the acid liquid sea threatens to swallow the fort he builds with "help" from Clare, Penny's there to save his rear-end. And videotape him hugging… the empty air.
Big sis Judy injects him with something to help with the rash that's rapidly spreading on his skin, and again, without his family looking out for him, Will and all the Robinsons would be toast.
I won't reveal the twist, just know the dead can be very dangerous in this awesome space opera tale! Enjoy.
